Cladding products are commonly used in building and construction projects to provide a protective layer over the material underneath.
The most important decision comes down to selecting which cladding product is right for your project.
The first thing that builders, architects and construction professionals look at is the degree of thermal insulation, weather resistance and overall appearance each option offers.
However, the warranty is often overlooked.
It’s just as important to consider the warranty and what it includes when making your choice because cladding is a long-term decision.
Here are the 6 questions you should ask (or perhaps insist on) in relation to cladding warranties when selecting cladding products for your project.
1. Who is providing my warranty?
There are many products on the market where the local agent or distributor provides your cladding product’s warranty. This may seem fine but what if they go out of business tomorrow, next week, next month or next year? Or what if they change their business name or discontinue to stock cladding lines?
How will you make a claim?
You need to make sure you get a manufacturer’s warranty. This should include the actual warranty as well as ALL of the details of the manufacturer, so you know who to pursue if you need to make a claim.
2. Where does my warranty come from?
It’s always a good idea to use products where the warranty is being provided by a “reputable” manufacturer who has a record of standing behind their products.
All manufacturers have problems from time to time but the manufacturers you want to deal with are the ones who stand behind their products, stand behind their agents and distributors, and ultimately stand beside you if there is ever a problem.
Ask yourself this question: Am I confident that the manufacturer of my product will stand beside me to resolve any problems I may have?
3. What does my warranty include and exclude?
Make sure your warranty does not include a number of exemption clauses in the fine print that end up making it not worth the paper it is printed on.
While it may seem daunting, take the time to read the warranty just so you’re not caught unawares about where its limitations are.
4. Do I need to keep records of cleaning and maintenance of panels to maintain my warranty?
Most warranties will insist on keeping records of your cleaning and maintenance procedures for the life of the warranty. If this is not done you can void your warranty.
However, NOT ALL manufacturers insist on this though so make sure you do your homework on this issue and comply accordingly.
It’s worth the effort in the end.
5. Do the products I am using have 100% traceability?
All cladding products should have permanent identification marking (not stickers) on their products so that they can be 100% traceable back through the production process (as referenced by the new Australian Standard 5344).
Sadly, this is not always the case and there are many products sold into the Australian market that fall short of this basic “good practice” manufacturing.
100% traceability will assist the manufacturer in identifying any issues they may have with the supplied product and makes it easier to claim.
6. Should I get a sample copy of the warranty before I place my order?
Absolutely – yes!
It is your right to see a copy of the ‘typical’ warranty document that will be available at the end of your project.
It is also your right to raise any questions or concerns you may have with this document BEFORE you place any orders.
You SHOULD NOT accept an agents or distributors warranty. This is potentially worthless when it comes to making a claim. INSIST on a manufacturers warranty and INSIST on getting ALL the manufacturer’s details BEFORE you place any orders.
Be very careful if your supplier does not, or will not, provide this information.
How to ensure you’re getting the right warranty.
If you’re concerned about your Cladding warranty, it’s best to choose a trusted and well-established supplier of cladding products. Network Architectural provides a large range of cladding products, all backed by large and reputable companies who provide manufacturer warranties. For further information on our cladding offers, please contact our office on (02) 8316 5000, or visit our website.
